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6/30/2026
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Law strengthens the state’s laws to combat digital scams, identity fraud
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STATE HOUSE — Legislation introduced by Rep. Joseph J. Solomon Jr. and Sen. Matthew L. LaMountain to strengthen Rhode Island’s laws combatting identity fraud and emerging forms of digital deception has been signed into law.
The new law (2026-H 8060A, 2026-S 3338) protect sindividuals and businesses from those who knowingly impersonate an entity with the intent of facilitating fraud as well as protect individuals and businesses from digital forgery.
“While our current statutes address traditional forms of identity fraud, they don’t account for the growing sophistication of impersonation schemes and digital forgery that we’re seeing today,” said Representative Solomon (D-Dist. 22, Warwick). “We’ve all received these texts — the city of Providence trying to collect a fine, the DMV trying to suspend your license, the Turnpike and Bridge Authority trying to collect tolls. This bill recognizes the increased use of technology in these scams to not only hold perpetrators accountable, but to deter conduct that can devastate victims, whether through financial loss, reputational harm or compromised personal security.”
The act defines “digital forgery” as participating in the generation, creation or distribution of a computer-generated visual or audio representation that’s been created to deceive people.
“The newest digital scams tend to leverage the names of institutions and state agencies that people have grown to trust,” said Senator LaMountain (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston). “With technology allowing scammers to effectively impersonate these agencies, it has become a significant problem for businesses and agencies that have built up decades of trust. This bill would make it a felony to impersonate these agencies with the intent to defraud.”
Secretary of State Gregg Amore testified in support of the legislation, telling the House Judiciary Committee, “As our office oversees the business landscape, we have observed an uptick in the number of business owners who have been victims of identity theft. In modernizing Rhode Island’s criminal statutes to safeguard against evolving fraudulent schemes and technology, this legislation will help reduce the number of deceived business owners and individuals and allow law enforcement to directly address this criminal activity.”
For more information, contact:
Daniel Trafford, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401)222-1922
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